How the Necessitarian infidel again replied to the Sunní who was inviting him to accept Islam and abandon his belief in Necessity, and how the debate was prolonged on both sides; for this difficult and controversial matter cannot be decided except by the real love that has no further interest in it—“and that is God's grace: He bestows it on whom He pleases.”

کافر جبری جواب آغاز کرد ** که از آن حیران شد آن منطیق مرد 3210

The Necessitarian infidel began his reply, by which that eloquent man (the Sunní) was confounded;

لیک گر من آن جوابات و سال ** جمله را گویم بمانم زین مقال

But if I relate all those answers and questions, I shall be unable to get on with this Discourse.

زان مهم‌تر گفتنیها هستمان ** که بدان فهم تو به یابد نشان

We have things of greater importance to say, whereby your understanding will obtain a better clue.

اندکی گفتیم زان بحث ای عتل ** ز اندکی پیدا بود قانون کل

We have told (only) a little of that disputation, O fierce debater, (but) from a little (part) the principle of the whole is evident.

هم‌چنین بحثست تا حشر بشر ** در میان جبری و اهل قدر

Similarly, there is a disputation, (which will continue) till mankind are raised from the dead, between the Necessitarians and the partisans of (absolute) Free-will.

گر فرو ماندی ز دفع خصم خویش ** مذهب ایشان بر افتادی ز پیش 3215

If he (the disputant of either party) had been incapable of refuting his adversary, their (respective) doctrines would have fallen out of sight (would have failed to maintain themselves),

چون برون‌شوشان نبودی در جواب ** پس رمیدندی از آن راه تباب

Since (in that case) they (the disputants) would not have had the means of escape (which consists) in replying (to their opponents), they would therefore have recoiled from the way of perdition (from their erroneous doctrines);

چونک مقضی بد دوام آن روش ** می‌دهدشان از دلایل پرورش

(But) inasmuch as their continuance in that course was (Divinely) destined, God feeds them with (logical) proofs,

تا نگردد ملزم از اشکال خصم ** تا بود محجوب از اقبال خصم

In order that he (the disputant) may not be silenced by his adversary's difficult objection, and that he may be prevented from seeing his adversary's success,

تا که این هفتاد و دو ملت مدام ** در جهان ماند الی یوم القیام

So that these two-and-seventy sects may always remain in the world till the Day of Resurrection.

چون جهان ظلمتست و غیب این ** از برای سایه می‌باید زمین 3220

Since this is the world of darkness and occultation, the earth is necessary for (the existence of) the shadow.

تا قیامت ماند این هفتاد و دو ** کم نیاید مبتدع را گفت و گو

These two-and-seventy (sects) will remain till the Resurrection: the heretic's talk and argument will not fail.

عزت مخزن بود اندر بها ** که برو بسیار باشد قفلها

The high value of a treasury is (shown by the circumstance) that there are many locks upon it.

عزت مقصد بود ای ممتحن ** پیچ پیچ راه و عقبه و راه‌زن

The greatness of the (traveller's) goal, O well-tried man, is (shown by) the intricate windings of the way and the mountain-passes and the brigands (infesting them).

عزت کعبه بود و آن نادیه ** ره‌زنی اعراب و طول بادیه

The greatness of the Ka‘ba and its assembly-place is (shown by) the brigandage of the Beduins and the length of the desert (traversed by the pilgrims).

هر روش هر ره که آن محمود نیست ** عقبه‌ای و مانعی و ره‌زنیست 3225

Every (religious) doctrine, every tenet, that is not praiseworthy is (like) a mountain-pass and a barrier and a brigand.

این روش خصم و حقود آن شده ** تا مقلد در دو ره حیران شده

This doctrine has become the adversary and bitter enemy of that, so that the imitator (who adopts the beliefs of others) is in a dilemma;